May 3 was a day full of paint, teamwork, talent, joy and laughter as students at Lancaster St. Mary School created a playhouse for Forest Rose School that was made possible through Habitat for Humanity’s Project Playhouse fundraiser.

St. Mary students participated in the project for the second consecutive year. This year’s recipient was Forest Rose School, which serves students from ages 6-22 with developmental disabilities. 

To help raise money to build homes for those in need, Habitat for Humanity encourages businesses to sponsor, design, paint and build a playhouse for a specific family or organization as a fundraiser. Usually, the construction takes place in a warehouse, but Stephanie Taylor, director of community engagement for Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, and Kayla Elrich, principal of St. Mary School, thought it would be impactful to have the playhouse built at the school.  

In May 2023, the first on-site Project Playhouse had taken place at St. Mary School. The playhouse was built for Benny McCauley, the son of Brian and Gina McCauley. Brian served as the director of sacramental preparation and faith formation at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption before he was diagnosed with brain cancer in April 2022.

“When Stephanie asked me for a recommendation for a family to receive the playhouse, I could not think of anyone more deserving than the McCauley family,” Elrich said. “Brian and Gina both truly are witnesses of His love in our community, and we were humbled and honored to provide their son, Benny, with something that will bring him joy for years to come.”

Students paint the playhouse for Forest Rose School.

This year, Taylor approached Elrich with a proposal to build the house for Forest Rose School. “The moment that Stephanie asked me if we wanted to build a house for Forest Rose School, I immediately said ‘Yes!’ Three of our students have a sister who attends Forest Rose, and I loved the idea of involving them in this process,” Elrich said.  

The cost to sponsor the playhouse was $5,000, which came from money raised through donors, dress-down days and a Penny Wars competition between classes.

The walls of the playhouse were designed by each middle school House, which are groups of 8-10 students in Grades sixth through eighth who meet once a month to grow in their faith and provide service to their school and local community.  Each House is named after a saint, so the students also learn about their House’s patron.

Students hard at work painting the playhouse.

On the build and reveal day, students came to the gymnasium to sketch, prime and paint the playhouse. This year, an addition to the house was a ramp and a wider entry for wheelchair accessibility.

Once the house was painted, volunteers gathered to put together the home outside. 

Father Craig Eilerman, rector of the Lancaster Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, blesses the finished playhouse with holy water.

When it was time for the big reveal, Elrich said, all of the students gathered around the home as Father Craig Eilerman, rector at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Assumption, prayed and blessed the home with holy water.

As the students made a path for the home to be revealed, the Hillis Family came forward with Addie, a student at Forest Rose School.  The St. Mary students cheered as Addie and her family explored the home before it was transferred to Forest Rose School, where it will be enjoyed by students for years to come.